---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I quit drinking. That was a big problem…"
description: "\"I quit drinking. That was a big problem for a lot of years. Then after that, I just started feeling grateful again.\" — Billy Crystal"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f46/billy-crystal-6588_big-problem_i-quit-drinking-that-was-a-big-problem-f_122965.jpg"
---

#  I quit drinking. That was a big problem for a lot of…

![“I quit drinking. That was a big problem for a lot of years. Then after that, I just started feeling grateful again.” quote by Billy Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f46/billy-crystal-6588_big-problem_i-quit-drinking-that-was-a-big-problem-f_122965.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f46/billy-crystal-6588_big-problem_i-quit-drinking-that-was-a-big-problem-f_122965.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f46/billy-crystal-6588_big-problem_i-quit-drinking-that-was-a-big-problem-f_122965.jpg)

> “I quit drinking. That was a big problem for a lot of years. Then after that, I just started feeling grateful again.”

[Billy Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-crystal/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Quitting alcohol resolved a long‑standing problem and restored a sense of gratitude and well‑being.

**In simple terms:** Sobriety brought relief and appreciation.

Key Takeaway

Recovery can revive gratitude.

Themes

addiction personal growth well‑being

Mood

hopeful reflective

Type

personal testimony motivational

When to use this quote

- rehabilitation programs
- support groups
- personal testimonies

Key Concepts

behavior change mental health

Practical Applications

- seek professional help for substance issues
- practice daily gratitude exercises

Questions to Reflect On

- What habits helped sustain gratitude after quitting?
- How can others support someone in early recovery?

A Different Perspective

Recovery is often non‑linear; setbacks can occur.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Drinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drinking/) [Feeling grateful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-grateful/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Grateful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grateful/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Quit drinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quit-drinking/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/)

## Related quotes

> [I quit drinking, and I figure if I go to ten Yankee games this year without drinking I'll save $32,000.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artie-lange/i-quit-drinking-and-i-figure-if-i-go-to-ten-yankee-games-this-year/)

[Artie Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artie-lange/)

> [I didn't quit drinking because I was a bad drunk. I quit because I was a spectacular drunk. It got to be like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-feherty/i-didn-t-quit-drinking-because-i-was-a-bad-drunk-i-quit-because-i-was/)

[David Feherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-feherty/)

> [After I quit drinking, I realized I am the same asshole I always was; I just have fewer dents in my car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/after-i-quit-drinking-i-realized-i-am-the-same-asshole-i-always-was-i/)

[Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/)

> [I quit drugs before I quit drinking because drugs were taking their toll on me. I was sick of the headaches and the puking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lars-frederiksen/i-quit-drugs-before-i-quit-drinking-because-drugs-were-taking-their/)

Lars Frederiksen

> [My life sucks when I’m only half-aware of it. If I quit drinking and saw what it’s really like, I’d probably jump off a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/my-life-sucks-when-i-m-only-half-aware-of-it-if-i-quit-drinking-and/)

[Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/)

> [I quit drinking, so I can think clear. When you have chop trouble, drinking doesn't help the healing process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-hubbard/i-quit-drinking-so-i-can-think-clear-when-you-have-chop-trouble/)

[Freddie Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-hubbard/)

> [I cleaned up. I quit drinking, I quit doing drugs, I quit stealing, I quit breaking into houses, I tried to quit being a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-ellroy/i-cleaned-up-i-quit-drinking-i-quit-doing-drugs-i-quit-stealing-i/)

[James Ellroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-ellroy/)

> [I sobered up and I got to thinking, girl, you ain't much fun since I quit drinking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-keith/i-sobered-up-and-i-got-to-thinking-girl-you-ain-t-much-fun-since-i/)

[Toby Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-keith/)

> [I quit drinking every night, at 1:30 A.M.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/i-quit-drinking-every-night-at-1-30-a-m/)

[Ryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/)

> [I think it just has to do with getting older and getting better at what it was I was doing, and that I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-think-it-just-has-to-do-with-getting-older-and-getting-better-at/)

[David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/)

> [I quit drinking in 2002, mere months before my college graduation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/i-quit-drinking-in-2002-mere-months-before-my-college-graduation/)

[Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/)

> [I do have a very, very big problem with someone who saw me coming and exploited me as a mascot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-vine/i-do-have-a-very-very-big-problem-with-someone-who-saw-me-coming-and/)

[Stella Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-vine/)

> [Its a big problem for American movies that all their movies are produced to be global.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-a-big-problem-for-american-movies-that-all-their-movies-are/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Don't be pretentious is my first advice to young writers. This is the big problem - just because you're getting an MFA doesn't mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/don-t-be-pretentious-is-my-first-advice-to-young-writers-this-is-the/)

[Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/)

> [Nerves are always a big problem for me, which is why I loved doing American sitcoms. Because you know when you do the take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/nerves-are-always-a-big-problem-for-me-which-is-why-i-loved-doing/)

[John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/)

## More by Billy Crystal

> [Bambi, to a kid, was scary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-crystal/bambi-to-a-kid-was-scary/)

[Billy Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-crystal/)

> [It's money. I remember it from when I was single](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-crystal/it-s-money-i-remember-it-from-when-i-was-single/)

[Billy Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-crystal/)

> [“We tiptoe around like we’re the Frank family and the Gestapo is downstairs. The baby monitor is in our room, and the unspoken rule…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-crystal/we-tiptoe-around-like-we-re-the-frank-family-and-the-gestapo-is/)

[Billy Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-crystal/)

> [I'd like to think there is a Heaven, and it starts from the happiest day in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-crystal/i-d-like-to-think-there-is-a-heaven-and-it-starts-from-the-happiest/)

[Billy Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-crystal/)

> [I'm going to go on just living and laughing and loving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-crystal/i-m-going-to-go-on-just-living-and-laughing-and-loving/)

[Billy Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-crystal/)

> [The house smelled of brisket and bourbon. That's the music I grew up on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-crystal/the-house-smelled-of-brisket-and-bourbon-that-s-the-music-i-grew-up-on/)

[Billy Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-crystal/)

> [Don't give up your power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-crystal/don-t-give-up-your-power/)

[Billy Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-crystal/)

> [Did you ever reach a point in your life, where you say to yourself, 'This is the best I'm ever going to look, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-crystal/did-you-ever-reach-a-point-in-your-life-where-you-say-to-yourself/)

[Billy Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-crystal/)

> [I think when I feel I'm at my best is when I'm on stage, and it's my version of jazz because it's just riffing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-crystal/i-think-when-i-feel-i-m-at-my-best-is-when-i-m-on-stage-and-it-s-my/)

[Billy Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-crystal/)

> [What's so fascinating and frustrating and great about life is that you're constantly starting over, all the time, and I love that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-crystal/what-s-so-fascinating-and-frustrating-and-great-about-life-is-that/)

[Billy Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-crystal/)

> [ Those are all real things that I experienced, not with \[my daughters\] growing up but with the, you know - I'm trying not to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-crystal/those-are-all-real-things-that-i-experienced-not-with-my-daughters/)

[Billy Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-crystal/)

> [Whoo-hoo-hoo, look who knows so much. It just so happens that your friend here is only MOSTLY dead. There's a big difference between mostly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-crystal/whoo-hoo-hoo-look-who-knows-so-much-it-just-so-happens-that-your/)

[Billy Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-crystal/)

> [ \[My mother\] is the greatest hero I'll ever know because she kept us all together, she made sure we all graduated college. She always… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-crystal/my-mother-is-the-greatest-hero-i-ll-ever-know-because-she-kept-us-all/)

[Billy Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-crystal/)

> [For almost 40 years, he was the brightest star in the comedy galaxy… The beautiful light will continue to shine on us forever and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-crystal/for-almost-40-years-he-was-the-brightest-star-in-the-comedy-galaxy/)

[Billy Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-crystal/)

> [Consider the rose...The rose is the sweetest smelling flower of all, and it's the most beautiful because it's the most simple, right? But sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-crystal/consider-the-rose-the-rose-is-the-sweetest-smelling-flower-of-all-and/)

[Billy Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-crystal/)

[Explore all 98 Billy Crystal quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-crystal/)

## More Big problem quotes

> [My mom had very low expectations for me, and she really had a point. I was a big problem at seventeen. If I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/my-mom-had-very-low-expectations-for-me-and-she-really-had-a-point-i/)

[Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/)

> [The big problem for comic art is you don't want to overwork it. If a drawing is overworked it isn't funny. It's the spontaneity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-sorel/the-big-problem-for-comic-art-is-you-don-t-want-to-overwork-it-if-a/)

[Edward Sorel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sorel/)

> [“For me -- for pretty much every writer -- the big problem isn't piracy, it's obscurity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-doctorow/for-me-for-pretty-much-every-writer-the-big-problem-isn-t-piracy-it-s/)

[Cory Doctorow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-doctorow/)

> [Nerves are always a big problem for me, which is why I loved doing American sitcoms. Because you know when you do the take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/nerves-are-always-a-big-problem-for-me-which-is-why-i-loved-doing/)

[John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/)

> [Don't be pretentious is my first advice to young writers. This is the big problem - just because you're getting an MFA doesn't mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/don-t-be-pretentious-is-my-first-advice-to-young-writers-this-is-the/)

[Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/)

> [The big problem retailers are facing is the world is moving to mobile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-schulman/the-big-problem-retailers-are-facing-is-the-world-is-moving-to-mobile/)

[Dan Schulman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-schulman/)

> [It was lonely on the hill, and cold. And all you could do was keep going. You could scream, cry, and stamp your feet,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/it-was-lonely-on-the-hill-and-cold-and-all-you-could-do-was-keep/)

[Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/)

> [Its a big problem for American movies that all their movies are produced to be global.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/its-a-big-problem-for-american-movies-that-all-their-movies-are/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“answer. Donald’s dysfunctional belief was related to Janine’s, but he’d held on to it for much longer—a life of responsible and successful work should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burnett/answer-donald-s-dysfunctional-belief-was-related-to-janine-s-but-he-d/)

[Bill Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burnett/)

> [The big problem is just this kind of gigantic piece, of kids reading less and liking it less and so getting worse at it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-scieszka/the-big-problem-is-just-this-kind-of-gigantic-piece-of-kids-reading/)

[Jon Scieszka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-scieszka/)

> [I do have a very, very big problem with someone who saw me coming and exploited me as a mascot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-vine/i-do-have-a-very-very-big-problem-with-someone-who-saw-me-coming-and/)

[Stella Vine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-vine/)

> [Don't tell GOD that u have a Big Problem,Tell your Problem that u have a Big GOD.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/don-t-tell-god-that-u-have-a-big-problem-tell-your-problem-that-u/)

[Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/)

> [We're facing growing climate change, more floods, more droughts, more crisis on a planetary level, and the systems we put in place in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/we-re-facing-growing-climate-change-more-floods-more-droughts-more/)

[Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/)

> [“That's my big problem. That's it! Before the Arrival,guys like Evan Walker never looked twice at me, much less shot wild game for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-yancey/that-s-my-big-problem-that-s-it-before-the-arrival-guys-like-evan/)

[Rick Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-yancey/)

> [Well, capitalism is a big problem, because with capitalism you're just going to keep buying and selling things until there's nothing else to buy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/well-capitalism-is-a-big-problem-because-with-capitalism-you-re-just/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

Browse all 430 Big problem quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I quit drinking. That was a big problem for a lot of years. Then after that, I just started feeling grateful again.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Billy Crystal"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-crystal/i-quit-drinking-that-was-a-big-problem-for-a-lot-of-years-then-after/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Big problem"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-crystal/i-quit-drinking-that-was-a-big-problem-for-a-lot-of-years-then-after/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f46/billy-crystal-6588_big-problem_i-quit-drinking-that-was-a-big-problem-f_122965.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f46/billy-crystal-6588_big-problem_i-quit-drinking-that-was-a-big-problem-f_122965.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f46/billy-crystal-6588_big-problem_i-quit-drinking-that-was-a-big-problem-f_122965.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I quit drinking. That was a big problem for a lot of years. Then after that, I just started feeling grateful…” — Billy Crystal",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Billy Crystal",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-crystal/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I quit drinking. That was a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-crystal/i-quit-drinking-that-was-a-big-problem-for-a-lot-of-years-then-after/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-crystal/i-quit-drinking-that-was-a-big-problem-for-a-lot-of-years-then-after/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
